Advanced Android: A look at OmniROM

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The open source nature of Android has led to more than a few features that started out as bolt-on options made by people who did not work for Google. As a result, advanced users can take advantage of custom-built versions of Android that do some incredible things. All you need is a supported device, the skill to install it yourself, and an understanding that you’ve likely voided your warranty in the process. One of these alternate versions of Android is Omni, and if you’ve got a compatible device it is well worth checking out.

Installing OmniROM on your device, in most cases, requires your phone to have root access and its bootloader to be unlocked. Because there’s no universal installer for Omni, this must be done manually if you haven’t done it before. There are different tutorials available for most devices, but the bottom line is (almost always) the need for a separate computer and access to the internet. With Google’s Android Debug Bridge and Fastboot tools, as well as whatever exploits are used to gain access to the underlying system on your phone or tablet, you have everything you need to install Omni.

The process involved replacing your system recovery with one that was built by a third party. I personally prefer the straightforward ClockworkMod Recovery, but the Omni team recommends TWRP recovery for compatibility reasons. I used ClockworkMod in my installation and didn’t encounter any issues, but this may not be universally applicable.

Once you have Omni installed, there are a truly enormous number of options available. Android is already incredibly flexible when it comes to customization, but Omni takes this and cranks it up to 11. It will take you days to set Omni up the exact way you want it, but in the process you’ll be using a version of Android that is almost always noticeably faster than what came with your phone. You can use the out of the box settings and have a great experience, or you can head into all of the new Settings options and explore.

Performance optimizations are the easily the best example of how in-depth you can get in making your phone truly belong to you, and Omni’s setup is one of the more standard representations of how this should play out for most people. There’s an optimal balance your phone usually strikes between how much power is being consumed and how fast your phone can go.

For most tasks throughout the day, your processor doesn’t have to work particularly hard to do things. If this applies to you, this setup allows you to optimize your phone by scaling down your processing power. If you find a balance between processing power and power consumption you are happy with, there’s a good chance your battery will last longer as a result.

It’s not all tiny tweaks and endless setting options that make OmniROM cool to use. The Omni team has been working on a number of unique apps that set their fork of Android apart. One example is Omni Switch, which is an app that allows you to quickly access everything from your app drawer to a hot switcher for your favorite apps without leaving the app you are currently in. The app places a small glowing semicircle on the side of the screen, similar to Samsung’s quick launcher. When you swipe across this glowing section of the screen, you gain access to the launcher and some basic controls from the bottom of the screen. When you long press on this same area, you gain quicklaunch options for apps you have chosen as your favorite.

OmniROM is one of the few community-focused Android builds available today that is focused on supporting as many devices as possible while adding new features as often as possible. It’s a fantastic option for anyone looking to do something new with an older phone or tablet, and it’s maintained well enough that if you have questions or need help there are resources available to help you out. As is always the case when you decide to modify your Android device, make sure you have a backup plan if anything goes wrong.